Meet the Bulldog

Breed Profile:

The Bulldog is calm and dignified with a steady, even temperament. He is resolute and brave but not vicious or aggressive. He loves people and, though his appearance may be somewhat intimidating, he does not generally make a very good watch dog. The Bulldog is known to be a relatively low activity level dog so adjusts well in just about any home environment.

Today’s Bulldogs are seen competing in Obedience as well as Agility, Tracking, and other dog sports. In addition, their calm disposition makes them ideal candidates to work as Therapy Dogs.

The Bulldog’s original use was for bull baiting and, though he may appear to be somewhat oddly built, each point of his structure was bred into the breed to aid or protect him while attempting to overcome a bull.

A Bit of Breed History:

Much controversy surrounds the history of the English Bulldog breed but what most breed historians do agree on is that Bulldogs were once used to guard, control and bait bulls. During the middle ages, bull baiting was considered a “sport” and was very popular among noblemen and royalty.

By 1835, bull baiting was outlawed in England and so the Bulldog’s purpose no longer existed. A group of Bulldog fanciers, however, worked to preserve the breed. In order to do so, it was important that the breed’s undesirable ferocious traits be removed while preserving and accentuating its better qualities.

Around this time, in the United States, Bulldogs worked at herding hogs and cattle and in Germany, the breed was used for crossbreeding to eventually create the Boxer breed. In England, the original Bulldog was bred to a smaller size  there is some disagreement as to whether the Bulldog was cross-bred with the Pug or simply selectively bred to smaller dogs.

Famous Bulldogs

The Bulldog’s claim to fame is far and wide. The breed is one that is often used as a mascot  as an example it is the famous corporate mascot for Mack trucks. In the United States alone, the breed represents close to four dozen universities and 250 high schools. It is also the unofficial mascot for the US Marines. In the UK, the Bulldog is represented with Churchill Insurance and is the mascot for serveral football and rugby teams.

1. Tillman – A skateboarding English Bulldog holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest 100-meter on a skateboard by a dog. Tillman appeared on the show, Greatest American Dog, and he rode the Natural Balance float in the Rose Parade in 2009.

3. Uga – The official live mascot of the University of Georgia Bulldogs, Uga. All of the dogs that have served in this position since 1956 are descendent from an English Bulldog owned by Sonny Seiler. The current mascot is Uga X who took on the role in 2015.

4. Meatball – Owned by actor Adam Sandler, Meatball is an English Bulldog who starred in the movie Little Nicky. Not only did Meatball appear in film but he served as both the best man and ring bearer in Sandler’s wedding to Jackie Titone in 2003. After Meatball died, Sandler carried his collar down the red carpet for the premier of the movie 50 First Dates.

5. Tyson – Another skateboarding celebrity, Tyson the Bulldog has appeared on several television shows including Rob & Big and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Tyson also appeared in two movies, Undiscovered and Lords of Dogtown. When he performs, Tyson earns more than $1,000 a day.

6. Large – Owned by Michael Jackson, Large was just one member of Jackson’s menagerie of pets. Jackson also owned four other dogs named Sasha, Black Girl, Shadow, and Spanky

7. Spike – Perhaps the most famous cartoon bulldog of all time, Spike made his on-screen debut during the 1940s on the Tom and Jerry show. Also known as Killer or Butch, this Bulldog wore a stern expression and a huge spiked collar. Although Spike hated cats, he was gentle with mice.

8. Jacques – An English Bulldog owned by Brad Pitt, Jacques is a member of the family. Pitt has been quoted saying, “I’m a firm believer Bulldog owners are kindred spirits… we have very serious conversations about snorts, farts, shit consistency, crusty eyes, crusty noses, puke, and various forms of gas with other Bulldog owners.”

9. Princess Lola – Owned by Jack Osbourne, Lola was internet famous, having her own social networking site with more than 9,000 followers. Lola was often featured on the reality show, The Osbournes which ran from 2002 to 2005.

10. Maggie – American novelist and screenwriter Truman Capote owned an English Bulldog named Maggie. Capote was famous for writing the true crime novel, In Cold Blood, as well as the novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Nellie

Nellie, a six year old German Shepherd from Vienna, Ontario travelled three kilometers back to her home to get help for 78 year old Ken Emerson, who lay injured after his tractor had overturned and crushed his pelvis. When Nellie arrived home, Mrs. Emerson noticed a strip of her husband’s shirt was wrapped around the dog’s collar as a message and so she immediately sent for help. Nellie was inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame for her heroic act in 1994.

Ty

In 2015, K-9 Ty Ty Road RN CGC, an eight-year-old German Shepherd handled by Melissa Frye of Southport, Florida, earned the AKC Humane Fund Award for Canine Excellence (ACE) for his heroic work as a Search and Rescue Dog. Ty is cross-trained in human remains detection as well as live find search and disaster work. Over the course of his six year career, Ty was the go to dog in his department for recovery searches and helped bring closure to families that have lost loved ones. He was deployed in over 60 missions with great success.

Bullet

Bullet was a German Shepherd Dog owned by Roy Rogers. Not only was he a family companion but he also starred as himself in the “Roy Rogers Show” and was featured in more than 100 movies.

Rin Tin Tin

Rin Tin Tin and his descendants have delighted and entertained worldwide audiences for over 80 years. Rin Tin Tin is still one of the most famous and recognized names in German Shepherd Dog history.

Strongheart

Etzel von Oeringen, or better known as Strongheart, was the first German Shepherd to appear in motion pictures. He appeared in several movies, including a 1925 adaptation of White Fang. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Littlest Hobo

The Littlest Hobo, starring a dog named London, was originally created by Dorrell McGowen for a television movie in 1958. Following the huge success of the movie, a television series was filmed in black and white between 1963 and 1965, with a total of 65 episodes. The series was remade in 1979 and became a familly favorite for many years. Although several dogs were used over the years to play the part of London, all were very well trained German Shepherds.

Acknowledgement

We would like to acknowledge and thank the many people who provided us with photos of their beautiful dogs to use in this German Shepherd Spotlight page:

All photos are copyright to the dog owners or as indicated and used here with permission. It is strictly forbidden to copy, reproduce or otherwise use any of the photos without prior permission from the copyright holder.